The Graveyard of the Atlantic

Cape Hatteras and the North Carolina Outer banks are collectively known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic - having recored 5,000 ship wrecks since record keeping started in 1526. The trick for the pleasure boat mariner is the Gulf Stream, its nearest approach to the U.S. is right off of Cape Hatteras near an area called Diamond Shoals. The stream moves NNE at 4 knots at its center and is very warm water, while the south bound mariner prefers a northerly component wind, combine this with the south flowing very cold Labrador current is a recipe for wind against current(s) local weather events and just general tough going in sloppy confused seas. The technique is to wait for a cold front/low pressure system to move off the US coast and slip in behind it as the winds clock SW to NW to NE as the next high approaches. Sounds easy except the relative strength (pressure gradient difference) between the low and the high determines how strong these winds will be AND this happens every 48 hours in the fall/winter. From Hampton/Norfolk to be clear of the Graveyard is 36-48 hours on a 6-7 knot sailboat. 

We thought we were ready for the November 1 window, but the previously posted discussion on our torn mainsail had us miss that. We then waited out Nicole to move north of us - thus two weeks in Hampton. We did get some work done though, replacing a bad rope clutch and fixing a coolant leak on the main engine. 

Now we were truly ready, next window was off the back of a low that merged with Nicole on Saturday the 13th, very strong SW winds meant we had to wait until at least Sunday evening, but that messes up timing on port of arrival, making Monday am the best bet. Several boats joined, we left at 5am on sporty 20 knot gusting 25knots northerly and 5-6 foot seas that took us down the coast rather briskly, as predicted the wind died off late in the afternoon, and with sloppy seas tossing us about we motored towards Hatteras arriving just after 10pm in lightish winds and about has mellow of sea state as one could hope for. We use a weather router, Chris Parker, a former cruiser and very experienced marine weather service provider. Chris gave us way points for the Gulf Stream that allowed us to just miss the western edge, pick up a back eddy and move south with relative comfort. We had periods of sailing after Hatteras mixed in with continued motoring, arriving in Cape Lookout at 10:30 am Tuesday, just before the next cold front comes off the coast. I am typing in a very windy and rainy anchorage Tuesday afternoon. 

We are tired, but very thankful for the good fortune on this rather fraught trip. While the next legs down the coast will be less complicated, but we will still be playing the same weather game, expecting every 2-3 days to have a cold front to play off of to move south - so this Wednesday/Thursday will be up anchor for the next run. 

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